Georgetown is defending its security apparatus and international academic collaborations after the Pentagon formally notified Georgetown and 29 other academic institutions in the United States to conduct immediate reviews of their “academic, financial and research collaborations with foreign entities of concern,” on Aug. 17. While the department did not publicly release the 30 institutions, a U.S. official listed them to Fox News.
The named institutions must “complete a comprehensive audit of all identified foreign collaborations, assess the exposure of sensitive or export-controlled research, and implement strict mitigation plans, including the termination of problematic partnerships” by Aug. 31. Schools that do not comply risk losing eligibility for future federal research funding.
“The Department of War has zero tolerance for academic partnerships that compromise our national security,” Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, said in a press release. “Institutions that receive funding from American taxpayers must uphold the highest standards of research security, and these mandated audits will ensure accountability across the board.”
According to the Pentagon, these audits aim to address institutional ties and collaborations identified under Section 1286 of the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, and “organizations associated with the rebranded Confucius Institutes.”
Confucius Institutes are public education programs sponsored by the People’s Republic of China that operate globally on university campuses, meant to teach Chinese culture, language, and understanding. The original institutes were rebranded amid worldwide concerns regarding the Chinese Communist Party’s influence.
The Pentagon did not identify which Georgetown collaborations prompted the audit. The university told the Voice on Aug. 20 that its research programs already have safeguards against foreign interference.
“Georgetown has a robust and comprehensive research security program that is designed to preserve the integrity of Georgetown research and safeguard the Georgetown research enterprise from foreign interference, exploitation or theft,” a Georgetown University spokesperson said. “Georgetown ensures we meet federal requirements while maintaining the integrity, openness, and collaboration that define academic research.”
Pentagon officials argue that U.S. university research programs are vulnerable to foreign exploitation.
“Universities are critical partners in executing a wide range of Department of War research programs, and the Department must therefore ensure that our research investments are well protected from foreign exploitation,” Dr. Joseph Jewell, assistant secretary of war for science and technology, said in a press release.
This is the second time this year that Georgetown programs have been reviewed by the Pentagon and risked losing funding. In February, the department announced that it would potentially cut off tuition assistance for active-duty service members at dozens of elite universities, including Georgetown.
